New earthquake risks

[kengr]

Earlier this week new info on faults around Mt. Hood came out.

The news item wasn't specific, but from the description, it sounds like they used lidar to map the surface without the trees getting in the way.

They uncovered several previously unknown faults as well as evidence of major quakes 6000 & 3000 years ago.

If these faults let go, Portland would get a 7.2 quake.

So Ysabet's "The Big One" quake(s) on Terramagne are likely to trip those faults. Which would add more destruction to Portland and a lot of other places in NW Oregon.

Comments

[polydad]

Noting that I am not a geologist, I was under the impression that the release of pressure along a nearby fault was likely to *relieve* pressure on the fault in question -- i.e., if the Cascadia goes, Mt. Hood won't. The Cascadia fault is so much bigger than the Hood complex I don't think the Hood complex will materially influence the Cascadia no matter what it does. (If the Cascadia goes, we get a 9.5, and I'm sure you remember that it's a log scale -- so about a thousand times more energy than the 7.2 you mention.)

[stickmaker]

Come to Kentucky! We rarely have big earthquakes here!

Though when we do, they're felt in New England and make the Mississippi River run backwards for three days...